Forming in sunny Brighton in 2019, the band released their debut single “Homewrecker” and signed to label Big Scary Monsters in 2022. Their debut EP You’re Welcome was released in May 2023 to glowing reviews, before the release of their debut album Who Let the Dogs Out in January 2025. Described as “rewriting the rules of modern punk”, the band are taking the world by storm, and I couldn’t wait to get a piece of the action.
Summoning my motley crew of friends and fellow gig goers, we scuttled out of the rain into Boiler Shop (one of the best venues in town) to acquire merch and a good spot for the incoming moshing – of which there was plenty. The band burst on to the stage moments later to screams of delight from the crowd, before diving headfirst into “Bad Apple”, the opening track of the album. While I recognise crowd interaction may not be it for all bands, it was a true pleasure to see Lambrini Girls highlight some of the most pressing issues of the day, inviting the crowd to healthily release some pent-up rage.
As a lover of the mosh pit, it must be highlighted that the Lambrini Girls pit has rocketed to the top of my chart. Concerted efforts on the part of frontwoman Phoebe Lunny to encourage rage, love and compassion towards ourselves and each other - while also engaging in rigorous mosh pit organising – created an atmosphere of real love and safety, with the queer non-binary/women-only dedicated mosh time was a personal highlight.
It is unfortunately sometimes a rarity within the punk scene to find a space to feel completely comfortable and free – regardless of the band or the venue, there is often people who want to be weird in the pit. However, Lambrini Girls have mastered both the art of commanding an audience and providing safe spaces for marginalised voices to be heard and for marginalised bodies to mosh like there’s no tomorrow.